Verdict
The Renault Kadjar passes its MOT first time on 78.9% of tests, 3.1 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (82.0%). That puts it ahead of 23% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2015 Kadjar does best (beats 34% of cars) and the 2020 worst (beats 11%).
Of its engines, the 1.6 Diesel does best (beats 30%) and the 1.3 Petrol worst (beats 12%).
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 77.4% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.3 Petrol | 82.1% | Beats 12% | E |
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.8% | Beats 21% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 77.1% | Beats 30% | D |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Headlight bulbs & units 4.4× typical
Check dipped and main beam on both sides. - Brake pads 1.5× typical
Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash. - Tyre tread depth 1.5× typical
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems. - Suspension ball joints 2.0× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Coil springs 1.4× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlight bulbs & units | 3.8% | 0.8% | 4.4× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 3.6% | 3.3% | 1.1× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.9% | 2.0% | 1.5× |
| Brake pads | 2.8% | 1.9% | 1.5× |
| Windscreen wipers | 2.4% | 2.0% | 1.2× |
| Headlight aim | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.1× |
| Coil springs | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.4× |
| Windscreen washers | 1.1% | 1.3% | 0.8× |
| Suspension ball joints | 1.1% | 0.5% | 2.0× |
| Tyre pressure warning (TPMS) | 0.8% | 0.7% | 1.2× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 36.7 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 29.4 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 26.7 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 23.6 |
| A tyre seriously damaged | 21.4 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 19.0 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 18.5 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 15.0 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2021 Renault Kadjar1 engine87.3% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 87.3% | Beats 39% | D |
2020 Renault Kadjar2 engines83.2% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 83.4% | Beats 11% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 81.9% | Beats 12% | E |
2019 Renault Kadjar2 engines82.0% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Petrol | 82.2% | Beats 14% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 80.5% | Beats 14% | E |
2018 Renault Kadjar4 engines79.2% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.9% | Beats 9% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 78.7% | Beats 21% | D |
| 1.3 Petrol | 78.4% | Beats 6% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 80.3% | Beats 39% | D |
2017 Renault Kadjar3 engines78.9% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 78.2% | Beats 25% | D |
| 1.2 Petrol | 80.0% | Beats 20% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 78.9% | Beats 34% | D |
2016 Renault Kadjar3 engines77.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 76.6% | Beats 29% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 76.7% | Beats 29% | D |
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.5% | Beats 35% | D |
2015 Renault Kadjar3 engines75.8% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Diesel | 75.4% | Beats 33% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 74.4% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.2 Petrol | 80.3% | Beats 56% | C |
FAQ
What is the Renault Kadjar MOT pass rate?
78.9% of MOT tests on the Renault Kadjar were passed first time, based on 431,650 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2015–2021. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 82.0% of the time.
Is the Renault Kadjar reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 23% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Renault Kadjar year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2015 Kadjar does best for its age and mileage: it beats 34% of cars on UK roads. The 2020 does worst: it beats 11%.
Which Renault Kadjar engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.6 Diesel does best: it beats 30% of cars on UK roads. The 1.3 Petrol does worst: it beats 12%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Renault Kadjar?
The most common failure items are headlight bulbs & units, tyre damage & cracking, tyre tread depth. Compared with similar cars, headlight bulbs & units comes up 4.4× as often.